


The offer.

by ohmerthurcharm



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boss/Employee Relationship, Confessions, Kissing, M/M, Making Out, Making Up, Merlin PA, Merlin Personal assistant, Modern Era, One Shot, Regret, Secret Relationship, Touching, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Virgin Merlin, arthur CEO, job offer, refusal of job offer, spoiled Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 11:43:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16449302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmerthurcharm/pseuds/ohmerthurcharm
Summary: Merlin turns down a good offer from a wealthy and powerful CEO to stay as Arthur’s PA but that doesn’t mean it was an easy task to do.





	The offer.

Arthur walked into his office, holding his takeaway coffee cup in his hand while talking to his colleague Gwaine to find his PA pacing the room, muttering to himself. 

“That doesn’t look good, did you overwork him again?” Gwaine asked, raising a brow at Arthur.

“Just gave him the usual amount of work…” Arthur said, frowning at the sight of him. “Wonder what’s gotten into him.”

“Let’s find out then.” Gwaine said before walking over to Merlin who didn’t respond to them and kept pacing.

Arthur placed his cup down on the see-through table before grasping Merlin’s shoulders, stopping the man but his head was bent, eyes gazing far away.

“Merlin, you alright?” Arthur asked with concern. 

He didn’t respond. 

Arthur shook his shoulders. “Merlin! Hey!”

Merlin’s eyes went wide and he looked up. “Oh! Arthur hey…”

“What’s wrong, mate?” Gwaine asked, standing close.

“Oh, nothing really.” He said, forcing a fake smile.

“Merlin…you need to tell me what’s going on…” Arthur said seriously. 

Merlin kept quiet and looked down. 

“HEY!” Arthur said and Merlin didn’t look up this time.

Arthur gave Merlin’s cheek a few soft smacks and Merlin frowned and shoved his hand away.

“Stop it, Arthur.” He said, annoyed. 

“Not until you tell me what’s happened.” Arthur said.

Merlin sighed, his shoulders dropping. “I refused the offer…”

“What offer?” Arthur asked. 

Merlin frowned, shifting slightly. “The offer, th-the offer ok!” 

“I don’t know what your blabbering about, Merlin.” Arthur said with a frown. 

“It’s nothing.” Merlin mumbled out, glaring at the floor. 

Arthur’s frown deepened and he looked down to find Merlin’s phone in his pocket and pulled it out before he saw Merlin grab it, snatching it away. 

“Don’t!” He said angrily, backing off. 

“We’re just worried about you, mate. Please talk to us?” Gwaine asked. “We deserve an explanation.”

Merlin shook his head. “No…”

“I swear to the gods above, if you don’t tell me I’ll call your mother.” Arthur threatened. 

“Hey, that’s not fair. She doesn’t know either!” Merlin said defensively. “Just leave it alone, Arthur!”

“No, it’s eating you up. I can tell. I don’t want you to suffer like this anymore, at least not alone.” Arthur said. 

Merlin pouted then before weakly shaking his head. 

“Stop being stubborn and tell me.” Arthur said softly. “I am your boss but I’m also your friend.”

Merlin felt a pang in his chest. “Oh? Just a friend huh?”

Arthur frowned slightly. 

“Do friends accidently kiss each other because the other got himself stupid drunk?” Merlin asked angrily. 

Arthur’s mouth shut closed.

Gwaine stared at them with an open mouth. “Oh…ok…uh…I’m just going to go now…” He said as he backed off before going to the door and left, closing it softly behind him and started to giggle before rushing off to Percival. 

“Well? Got nothing to say?” Merlin asked, gulping slightly.

Arthur blinked, surprised. “I uh…”

“Or the time we nearly fucked but you backed out and told me never to speak of it again…?” Merlin asked, softer this time. 

Arthur looked down sadly. “Merlin…”

“-And don’t give me the whole ‘you’re a virgin’ story. I chose to be fucked by you because I trusted you with my body. I’m not a delicate flower, Ok? I can handle it.” Merlin said firmly. 

Arthur took in a breath and looked up, quiet. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You took me on a vacation to your private island, Arthur.” Merlin said and felt the tears well up. “Friends don’t do that with friends…”

“I uh...I wanted your first time to be special.” Arthur mumbled. 

“Yes, that’s correct. It would have been special with you. I don’t care if you fuck up in your mind with regards to how you see a good fuck. As long as you prepare me well and take your time and use lube, I’m sure it would have been fine. It was going so well…” Merlin said clutching his phone tighter. 

“You don’t understand the pressure.” Arthur said.

“What pressure…? I was patient…I was happy, Arthur. You were doing so well and…you just left.” Merlin said and his mouth closed suddenly then, his lips drawing into a thin line. 

“I was scared…” Arthur admitted. 

Merlin frowned. “Scared of what?”

“I don’t know! You are….you and…I care for you and…and I was scared that I’d somehow fuck up…and you’d…you’d never want to see me again.” Arthur gasped out, tears welling up.

Merlin frowned more and put his phone down on the table. “Oh Arthur…”

The man frowned, looking down as tears fell down. “I didn’t want you to see me as your boss…that you…you were doing all this because I was your boss and not…Arthur.” He croaked out.

Merlin walked over to him and held him close, stroking his hair. “I never saw it as that. You pompous prat. I loved you for you…” 

Arthur smiled and let out a choked sob before wrapping his arms around him.

Merlin smiled and buried his face against Arthur’s shoulder happily. 

Arthur eventually sniffed and pulled away from the hug. “I…I’m sorry, Merlin.”

“I’m sorry too…” Merlin admitted. 

Arthur looked at him. “What for?”

“For being difficult.” Merlin admitted. 

Arthur sighed and stroked his cheek.

Merlin smiled, leaning into it and looked at him happily. 

“Tell me what happened…” Arthur said softly. 

“I got an offer…from Bayard.” Merlin admitted.

Arthur gasped, shocked. “Merlin…that’s wonderful news!”

Merlin shook his head, his smile dropping. “I couldn’t accept it.”

“But it was your dream to work at his company…” Arthur said, frowning. “I don’t understand…”

“I can’t leave you.” Merlin admitted. “I love it here, Arthur. The people, the work…the office…you.”

Arthur sighed softly. “Merlin…”

“As much as I’d like to…I can’t see myself anywhere else but here. It feels like home, Arthur.” Merlin admitted. “But…but it’s still so hard to say no.”

Arthur hugged him close as Merlin shook against him.

“I couldn’t do it. I saw that resignation paper and I couldn’t do it. I built a life here with you…and everyone is so nice…” Merlin said, hugging him close, rubbing his thumb against Arthur’s shoulder. “If I leave…I’d be distraught. I just couldn’t do it. It hurts to have said no…fuck it hurts but it hurts more to leave this place.”

Arthur nodded and stroked his hair. “Whatever you decide, I’ll be here for you. But that is a good offer, Merlin.”

Merlin groaned. “Please don’t…I already feel like shit…”

“Sorry.” Arthur smiled apologetically and kissed his neck softly. 

Merlin held him tighter.

Arthur parted the hug and cupped Merlin’s face. “Let’s go somewhere tonight…and we can talk…about anything…and everything. Y..You know, Us.”

Merlin smiled and nodded. “Ok.”

Arthur could see Merlin was still troubled. “Merlin…it’s ok.”

Merlin nodded. “Yeah…yeah I know. Thank you.”

Arthur rubbed his shoulder soothingly and the door opened and they quickly moved apart. 

“Arthur, Bayard is on line three.” Gwen said softly, smiling before closing the door.

Merlin sniffed slightly, wiping away his tears.

Arthur looked at him, worried and went to his desk and took the phone and pressed it to his ear. “Yes, this is Arthur Pendragon speaking?”

‘Ah, Arthur. Sorry about this. It concerns your PA Merlin. I was on the phone with him a while ago and he sounded a little stressed, is he alright?’ Bayard asked.

“To be very honest with you, no. But we will work through it.” Arthur admitted. 

Merlin frowned, watching him.

‘I am so sorry, I just…I had heard someone taking about how he really dreamt of working here and because of our last colleague leaving for the USA I thought it would have been a good opportunity for him. I didn’t mean for him to feel so conflicted. Please accept my apology.’ Bayard said. 

“Of course, Bayard. I know you didn’t mean to make him upset, he’s just a worrywart by nature. Thank you for offering it to him, be it any other situation I’m sure he would have taken the offer but I think he’s found a good spot here.” Arthur said in a friendly tone.

‘Well, I’m glad to hear it. Goodbye Pendragon.’ Bayard said before hanging up.

Arthur put the phone down and looked at Merlin who was watching him, arms folded. 

“Am in some kind of trouble?” Arthur asked with an innocent, yet nervous smile.

Merlin nodded slowly. 

Arthur smiled and chuckled. 

Merlin scoffed and grinned. 

Arthur walked over to him before cupping his face and kissed him deeply. Merlin moaned and kissed back, hands on Arthur’s hips. 

Arthur rubbed his thumb against Merlin’s cheekbone, his tongue darting in and out of Merlin’s mouth, exploring him, making Merlin shudder.

Merlin gulped and sucked on Arthur’s tongue before exploring Arthur, breathing through his nose. Arthur tasted of coffee and mint. 

Arthur kissed him firmly and hard. 

Merlin pulled back, panting and Arthur moved down and licked up Merlin’s neck in one slow movement. Merlin groaned and tilted his head up, grasping Arthur’s shoulders tightly as his legs went weak. 

Arthur smirked and whispered against his ear as his body shook. “The private island seems very inviting right now.”

“Oh fuck…” Merlin breathed, moving his head down to look at Arthur, remembering the holiday. 

Arthur brushed the curly hair from Merlin’s eyes. “What do you say?”

“I think my paid vacation is coming up soon.” Merlin said, grinning happily. 

Arthur sighed happily. “Arrange the trip right now…” He said, his hand trailing down Merlin’s body and cupped Merlin’s groin area, rubbing the fabric slightly. “Cancel my appointments. We leave tomorrow…and if you fail in this, I will punish you.” He pants out, sucking on Merlin’s earlobe.

Merlin moaned, rocking his hips and hissed. “Please say dinner is still on for tonight?”

“Of course, who’s going to pack my clothes otherwise?” Arthur asked cheekily.

Merlin laughed before whacking Arthur’s shoulder playfully. “Prat!”

Arthur grinned and pulled Merlin close, kissing him softly.

Merlin smiled and kissed back happily. 

Arthur pulled back and sighed happily. “Finally.”

Merlin grinned. “Yeah.” He giggled. 

Arthur smiled at him happily, not knowing what Merlin was agreeing too but he didn’t mind.


End file.
